The Missouri Reader Vol. 36, Issue 1 | Page 62

READING RECOVERY PRACTICES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS Diane Pierce pecial education teachers are faced with many difficult tasks throughout the day. In addition, they are expected to provide individualized instruction for each special education student. This instruction should be on the individual child‘s level. Not only must the teacher find the appropriate instruction for each student, but the teacher must also provide instruction for multiple students. One successful program for reading instruction is Reading Recovery. Reading Recovery can be used to help improve reading development through an intense intervention. Reading Recovery also allows the teacher to assess the level of student achievement (Dunn, 2007). The components of Reading Recovery could be adapted for the special education classroom and allow the teacher to individualize the lesson. An Overview of Reading Recovery Reading Recovery was introduced in New Zealand in the 1970s by Marie Clay. It has been adopted by school systems in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. During the 20 years it has been implemented in the United States, Reading Recovery has had more than 1.4 million students involved in the program (Reynolds & Wheldall, 2007). Reading Recovery Council of North America (RRCNA) (2010a) identifies the goal of Reading Recovery is to significantly lower the number of first-grade students experiencing extreme difficulty learning to read and write. Another goal of RRCNA is to reduce the cost of educating these struggling learners to the education system (RRCNA, 2010a). Reading Recovery offers intervention through tutoring with individual instruction by a trained Reading Recovery teacher. The tutoring sessions are 30 minutes daily for 12-20 weeks (RRCNA, 2010b; What Works Clearinghouse, 2008). The students continue with the lessons until they meet grade-level expectations and show they can transfer the new skills to the classroom. Their lessons are then terminated and the next qualifying students begin the one-on-one tutoring sessions (RRCNA, 2010b). The lessons are individually planned and taught by trained Reading Recovery teachers. The teachers are skilled in changing the lessons as needed during the course of the session. They choose from their repertoire of procedures to find the best possible instruction for the child (RRCNA, 2010b). Hicks and Villaume (2001) chose Diane Pierce currently teaches K5th Cross-Categorical Special Education at Fordland Elementary School in Fordland, Missouri. She has been teaching special education for 12 years. Prior to special education, Diane taught Title I Reading for three years. She has her B.S. in Elementary Education from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and her M.S. in Reading from Missouri State University. Diane has a Special Reading certification and CrossCategorical Special Education certification. two Reading Recovery students and studied them © The Missouri Reader, 36 (1) p.62